ARTICLES ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT BY DATE - PAGE 4

Let's stop the circus! As a loyal and proud citizen and businessman of Broward County , I am outraged by the payments Waste Management is offering to our cities in order to protect a 25-year waste disposal monopoly. I am equally concerned by the government officials who are so easily induced to ignore an open and fair procurement process. Sun Bergeron was formed to give the people of Broward the benefits of real competition, lowering costs and bringing new technologies to better protect taxpayers' pocketbooks and the environment.

Various Broward County municipalities are benefiting from the competition between waste disposal service companies. While Wheelabrator, a subsidiary of Waste Management, is offering a financial incentive as part of its newly introduced loyalty program, competitor Sun Bergeron is luring cities with a revenue-sharing program. Coral Springs will become richer by$829,220 after it decided to contract with Wheelabrator for disposal of garbage. The city has to sign on the dotted line by Jan. 31 to receive the full loyalty bonus.

The Fort Lauderdale Historical Society recently announced the opening of a new exhibit showcasing Fort Lauderdale's business history over the past 50 years. The mementos and video history displayed focus special attention on H. Wayne Huizenga, who launched Waste Management in the 1960s with a single garbage truck and today oversees a major business empire. Through the story of how one individual has had a lasting impact on the region, the exhibit demonstrates South Florida as an incubator for all entrepreneurs, said Bonnie Flynn, executive director of the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society.

The operator of the landfill that dominates the northern Broward County skyline has agreed to pay $1.6 million in fines, administrative charges and improvement costs to reduce the odor of decaying trash wafting over surrounding neighborhoods. The Broward County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a settlement agreement with Waste Management Inc. after the company was issued repeated citations for odor violations between May and October at the Monarch Hill landfill, known locally as Mount Trashmore.

To kick off a new recycling program, Wellington is hosting an America Recycles Day event from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday at the Wellington Amphitheater, 12100 Forest Hill Blvd., coinciding with the Food Truck Invasion in the adjacent parking area. The Solid Waste Authority and Waste Management of Florida will have tents at the amphitheater so residents and visitors can learn more about recycling. Wellington is also hosting Food Truck Invasions every Thursday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. through May. Between 15 and 20 food trucks will serve up a variety of international dishes and desserts at each event.

A benefit is being planned to raise money for Family Promise, an organization that supports homeless children and families. Dine for Promise will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at Union Restaurant, 8 E. Atlantic Ave. Former Delray Beach Mayor Jeff Perlman will be the honorary chairman of the event, which is being sponsored by Waste Management and Union. "We believe that every child deserves a home, so we work with our local faith community of churches and synagogues to provide temporary shelter, meals and support services to restore homeless families to sustained independence," said Kokie Dinnan, Family Promise's executive director.

This week two students were the lucky winners of a new scholarship aimed at Margate residents. Kaitlin Smith-Norman, a senior nursing student at Florida Atlantic University, and Michael Trotman, a freshman computer science major at University of Central Florida, each won $2,500 in a partnership between garbage hauler Waste Management and the city of Margate. Margate and Waste Management signed a new five-year contract that will go into effect in October. That new agreement is the reason for the scholarships.

The trash talk is over in Delray Beach . At least for now. The City Commission voted 3-2 to extend its garbage services contract with Waste Management, even after residents clamored for months for an open bid process and the Palm Beach County inspector general recommended it. "Despite the vilification, I can't take this contract from someone who has done the job," said Mayor Woodie McDuffie. "I cannot ignore a company that has put their shoulder to the wheel and done they job they told us they would do and be the corporate citizen that we never asked them to be. " The decision came after a lengthy presentation by Butch Carter, Waste Management's government affairs manager.

After months of trash talking, the Delray Beach City Commission will discuss whether to renew its garbage services contract at its regular meeting Tuesday. The garbage services contract with Waste Management expires in 2013 and residents have been clamoring for the city to request proposals from other haulers to see if the city can get better rates. "We have called for a transparent bidding process for eight months," said Vincent Dole, president of the civic group Friends of Delray.

The end of summer vacation is approaching fast and for students that means the beginning of another year of school. Two Margate students, however, will be the lucky winners of a new scholarship before the new school year starts. The city of Margate and garbage hauler Waste Management signed a new five-year contract that will go into effect in October. That new agreement is the reason for the scholarships. Waste Management pledged to give the city $5,000, which will be split between the two students who win the award.